The TRISD seniors of 2013 were honored at Sacred Heart with holy mass and reception at the parish hall on Sunday May 26. (It is always such an honor to see them walk in during the procession wearing their red graduation gowns.)

This special mass was also to announce the Catholic Daughters of the America’s scholarship winners. Catholic Daughters of the America’s Court Our Lady of the Rivers #2376 awarded this years’ two $500 scholarships to Kalli Escamilla and Luis Riojas.

There were many photos taken as Alice Mary Schulz, CDA Financial Secretary, presented them with the certificates at the altar.

Congratulations to Kalli and Luis and to all the graduating seniors of 2013. We are very proud of all of you!

Memorial Day…

“Let us not forget as we gather here today that our nation is still at war,” President Obama said after laying a wreath at Arlington National cemetery to honor all our fallen military members.

For years I wanted to attend a Memorial Day ceremony and I couldn’t because of my work. I couldn’t make it to the Ray Point service, but Monday after holy mass, Lorene Tonia and I traveled to Corpus Christi to attend the event at Sherrill Park with my brother Aniseto (Bruno) and Gloria Cruz.

Bruno is a Vietnam veteran and truly patriotic, always displaying the flags on his lawn and a full wall in their home of photos of all the family members (who served) in their military attire.

Prior to arriving at Corpus Christi, we could see the beautiful U.S. flags along Interstate 37 flying at half mast, and again at Sherrill Park. The program given to me was just as impressive displaying an American eagle with a tear in its eye encircled with the wording “Home of the Free… Because of the Brave” … then the flag and the combat boots holding up a military helmet atop a machine gun and the military dog tags dangling from the handle.

Impressive but sad as it symbolized our fallen heroes.

As I listened to the speeches and could visualize the agony of wounded men in battle I could also see some of the injustice to our fallen heroes.

“The Rules of Engagement” need to be abolished. Per my understanding, this means that our military do not have the authority to fire, until they have been fired upon!

No military member, in my opinion, should have to wait to be fired upon (and HOPE THAT THEY MISS!) before they can return fire! Think of all the names listed on memorial monuments and wonder how many might have died because of this rule!

What can we do together to change this?

Think of our fallen heroes as their families received the knock on their door to be informed that their son or daughter was killed in action. Was it worth it?

(Yet, the father who received the notice is quoted as saying, “I cannot answer, but MY SON DID!”) Indeed, most veterans, alive today will say that their military service and faithfulness to the mission was worth it… (Our brothers Bruno and Abe included.)

It was outstanding as the flags representing the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guards, and the MIA/POW flags were displayed and all the vets attending on this Memorial Day, stood up as their flag was saluted.

The ceremony ended with the singing of “God Bless the U.S.A.” the popular song sung by Lee Greenwood, that had all of us with our right hands in the air holding up the miniature flags, and (with tears streaming down my eyes,) as we can all proudly STAND UP and say, “I’m proud to be an American!” ...and be FOREVER THANKFUL to our fallen heroes who gave their ultimate sacrifice so we can continue to have our “Home of the free…Because of the brave.”